Robert Koch Institut - EUPHEM

Contact person

Astrid Lewin
Jennifer Bender
Tel: + 49 30 18754 2112 / -4333

Description of the institute

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is one of the most important bodies for the safeguarding of public health in Germany. As a leading governmental institution in the field of biomedicine, it plays a major role in the prevention and combatting of infectious diseases as well as in the analysis of long-term public health trends in the German health system.

Research and prevention of infections represents one of RKI's classic fields of work. For example, its scientists conduct research into the molecular properties and transmission modes of all groups of pathogens, including not only bacteria and viruses but also fungi, parasites and prions like the BSE pathogen. In addition, the RKI records and analyses data on the occurrence of numerous infectious diseases throughout Germany in accordance with the Infection Protection Act.

RKI plays a central advisory role for the federal government, state and local health authorities and medical specialists. For example, the Institute develops recommendations for the vaccination of children and hygiene measures in hospitals. RKI provides expert teams to help in investigations of regional epidemic outbreaks and collaborates with other authorities and experts to draw up epidemic emergency plans for extraordinary scenarios, such as a worldwide influenza or the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic. National reference centres and consultant laboratories for various bacterial, viral, and mycotic diseases are also located at RKI. They serve as central contact points for the identification of pathogens. RKI also functions as an important interface in numerous international co-operative projects. The Institute cooperates with various institutions in Germany and around the world, including ECDC and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Main public health functions in the area of infectious diseases:

• Study of bacterial, viral , mycotic and parasitic pathogens, the inactivation of microorganisms and immunological defense mechanisms against infection with focus on:
  • Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Legionella
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Viruses Affecting Immunocompromised Patients
  • Nosocomial Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance
  • Hospital Hygiene, Infection Prevention and Control
  • Viral Gastroenteritis and Hepatitis Pathogens and Enteroviruses
  • Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria
  • Influenza Viruses and Other Respiratory Viruses
  • HIV and Other Retroviruses
  • Sexually transmitted diseases.
     
• Infectious diseases epidemiology:
  • Collection, analysis, evaluation and dissemination of data about the epidemiology of infectious diseases
  • Surveillance and control of vaccine-preventable diseases
  • Collection, analysis and interpretation of anonymous reports of infection with HIV/AIDS, STI and blood-borne infections
  • Surveillance, outbreak investigations and other epidemiological studies on gastrointestinal infections, zoonoses and tropical infections
  • Surveillance, monitoring, epidemiological research and development of preventive concepts for respiratory infections with focus on influenza, tuberculosis and legionellosis
  • Surveillance in antimicrobial resistance and consumption and healthcare-associated outbreaks
  • Focal Point for the Public Health Service, Crisis Management, Outbreak Investigations and Training Programmes.
     
• Identification of unusual biological events with highly pathogenic agents (virus, bacteria, toxins) that might be used with bioterrorist intent; preparedness, information and response for such incidents.
   
• International Health Protection:
  • Strengthening of public health systems globally
  • Response to public health emergencies worldwide
  • Integrating and making available core competencies of RKI for international health protection.
     
• Artificial intelligence in Public Health Research
  • Strategic support of advances in the field of public health research using the latest AI-based technologies.

Training opportunities

Participation in:

• outbreak investigations
• infectious disease and pathogen surveillance
• research in the fields of bacteriology, virology, parasitology and mycology
• quality management
• biorisk management
• activities of reference and consultant laboratories (e.g. diagnostics, strain typing, phylogenetic studies, detection of new pathogen variants, antibiotic resistance monitoring)
• public health management and communication.

Training supervision

Astrid Lewin (Unit 16), Jennifer Bender (Unit 13)  

Language requirements

English and at least basic knowledge of German that can be improved

Training history

Number of EUPHEM fellows trained at the RKI: Six

• 1 Cohort 2009 (2009 – 2011)
• 1 Cohort 2011 (2011 – 2013)
• 1 Cohort 2013 (2013 – 2015)
• 1 Cohort 2017 (2017 – 2019)
• 1 Cohort 2019 (2019 - 2021)
• 1 Cohort 2021 (since 2021)